CM’s

While the project of Rs. 1,383 crores for constructing a hi tech tunnel to ease the movement of the pilgrims to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamnotri shortening the distance of 20 kilometres have been cleared by the cabinet committee on political affairs chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi and the work on the all weather roads is on full swing, the recent statement of the chief minister of Uttrakhand T S Rawat favouring annexation of Saharanpur with Uttarakhand in future has created tremendous amount of furore and anger amongst the people of the Himalayan state, majority of whom not only fully disagree with his statement but also see it as a deliberate pre strategic ploy to put the pivotal issue of Gairsain capital on the back burner.

Political analysts say that such a statement could not be issued just casually but must definitely be bearing some important reason and keeping in view the growing demand for Gairsain as the new permanent capital of UK , it may be the ploy to side line the core issue bound to have several ramifications. In Uttarakhand and even amongst the community living in Delhi and elsewhere majority of the people have felt hurt by possibility of Saharanpur’s annexation with UK and even if it is not a certainty, the statement of the CM saying that he always favoured bringing Saharanpur into UK’s fold has also annoyed them to a great extent.

People say that while the real issue associated with the sentiments of majority of the Uttarakhandies like Gairsain is not being attended to, despite the BJP being at the political helm of affairs at the centre and the state as well, but the irrelevent issues such as Saharanpur are gaining upper hand thus hurting the peoples’ emotions. Political analysts say that while there have been not a single statement from the state govt, the CM or any minister on Gairsain despite so much of hullaballoo and spate of agitations but on the issue of Saharanpur’s alleged annexation with Uttarakhand, there have been an extraordinary hurry with lead front page headlines appearing in all the regional and national dailies of the state given it a new political dimension and relevance.

Since then, the social networking sites and even the media is full of anti Saharanpur statements as the one below putting a cross on the CM’s story in a newspaper and saying ” TSR HOSH MEIN AAO, PAHAAD KI ROTI NAHI BATEGI, BAHISHKAAR KARENGE. ( TSR be in senses, will not let the Uttarakhand divide, will openly boycott). The way Gairsain capital movement is gaining ground and momentum these days the ruling party at the state and the centre should in all earnestness honour the peoples’ mandate and declare Gairsain as the permanent capital of UK than inviting the peoples’ wrath on irrelevent issues such as that of Saharanpur’s possible annexation with UK.

Even a laymen in Uttarakhand knows that due to the delimitation of the Assembly seats on population parameter, the hills of Uttarakhand had already lost good number of seats with the MLA seats of Uttarakhand plains increasing manifold. Just imagine if Saharanpur comes with Uttarakhand officially, what would be the fate of the already misrepresented rural Uttarakhand which has alrady lost its share of 32 lakh people through large scale migration during the last 17 years. What’s your take friends?
SUNIL NEGI

The government of Uttarakhand and its chief minister has taken a constructive initiative today at Dehradun by fructifying the efforts of the chief organiser of Hill Mail and journalist of Aaj Tak Manjeet Negi by way of becoming an active part and parcel of the RAIBAAR( Message) programme which involved the officials, bureaucrats and Chief of the Indian Army to share their pivotal experiences and innovative ideas for the over all development of Uttarakhand and to encourage the process of reverse migration which is one of the most serious problem of the 17 year old state.

Prominent amongst those who participated in this government sponsered event were the chief minister, Uttarakhand, the popularly known turn around engineer turned bureaucrat and chairman of Railway Board Dr. Ashwani Lohani, IRS , General of Indian Army Vipin Rawat, RAW chief Rakesh Dhasmana, DG of Military Intelligence Anil Bhatt, Rajendra Singh DG Coast Guard, Acharya Bal Kishan of Patanjali Yog Peeth, CBFC chairman and film maker, writer Punya Prasoon Joshi and others.

The name of the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his son Shaurya Doval were also publicised extensively but both of them were conspicuous by their absence. As given to understand, this RAIBAAR proposition, meaning message in Garhwali dialect has been primarily devised by the chief minister Uttarakhand to mesmerise the innocent electorates of Uttarakhand emotionally that the government of Uttarakhand is inviting the leading bureaucrats, engineers, corporates and even generals of Uttarakhand, still working or retired to come to the state an part with their professional experiences, know how, expertise and innovatve ideas so as to accelerate the developmental programmes of the state to much higher level and in wider public interest.

This event was specifically organised just 4 days before the 17th foundation day of Uttarakhand with a credible motive to send a message across a wide spectrum of the people that the government of the state is really serious about the welfare of the people of Uttarakhand. But the event backfired in the eyes of the vernacular press as no media person except a negligible few were allowed to enter the venue of the event and the programme was lacking the concept of participatory democracy as apart from the fourth estate, leaders of opposition political parties, the true andolankaries of Uttarakhand, the writers, journalists, real opnion makers, those representing the grass root people, the NGOs and common public was deliberately kept out of the show making it a real VVIP event.

According to the political analysts any such event that talks of inviting valuable and pivotal suggestions of experienced icons, if lacks the concept of participatory democracy, with negligible participation of movement activists, journalists, thinkers, scholars, common masses and the people who really matter at the grass roots like environmentalists Chandi Prasad Bhatt, eminent thinker and Padma Shree Shekhar Pathak or leaders of BEEJ BACHAO ANDOLAN Vijay Jardaari or stalwarts of globally famous chipko movement and winners of number of prestigious Indian and international recognitions like Sunder Lal Bahuguna, then there is literally no use of calling these government sponsored events which unambiguously give an impression of partial and biased approach towards resolving peoples’ issues and concerns of grass root significance.

Everybody know that today Uttarakhand and the Centre have the governments of BJP and there is no difference of opinion that may amont to difference of opinion in centre state relations. Then why do not both the governments honestly work on implementing the article 371 and Section 18 which are prevalent in the entire Himalayan region of the North East anf Himachal Pradesh that guarantee infinite concessions for hill people in development and job reservation in state services.

If the government is really so serious and anxious about the resolution of problems of the hill people of Uttarakhand and its over all development including effecting the reverse migration with generation of employment opportunities the forthwith implementation of Article 371 and Section 18 is the immediate need of the hour. Such temperory and adhok tactic like RAIBAAR and SELFIE IN YOUR VILLAGE are not going to help in reversing migration except misguiding the innocent electorates of this 17 year old state that has been achieved after so much of relentless struggle and sacrifice of 47 precious lives of youths, women and the senior citizens. People of state now want result oriented actions not biased events. What do you say friends?
Sunil Negi, President, Uttarakhand Journalists Forum